Overhead door control arm



May 14, 1963 P. w. MARTIN OVERHEAD DooR CONTROL ARM 2 SheetsmSheet 1Filed Sept. 19. 1960 IVENTOR.-

BY WMM@ May 14, 1963 P. w. MARTIN 3,089,183

OVERHEAD DooR coNTRoL ARM INVENTOR:

United States Patent O 3,089,183 GVERHEAD DGR CNTROL ARM Paul W. Martin,Des Plaines, lll., assigner to Republic Industries, Inc., Chicago, Ill.,a corporation ot Illinois Filed Sept. i9, 1960, Ser. No. 56,931 1lCiairns. (Cl. 14S-49) This invention relates to an improved overheaddoor control arm assembly for swinging doors of the type in which anoverhead door control device provides the door top pivot.

One of the problems which has faced the door control art is the abilityto provide a reliable, yet suiiiciently compact, overhead door controlarm which permits its disposition in concealed relation within the doortop edge, while maintaining durability and ease Vof assembly andinstallation. This problem is further complicated by the frequent andoften high shock loads to which the door and its fittings are subjected.

Another problem has been the lack of a suitable door control arm whichis adapted for rapid installation at the site and which is easily andrapidly removed.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide animproved overhead door control arm assembly which is simple in itsconstruction, yet sturdy and reliable.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improvedoverhead door control arm assembly which is resiliently mounted forabsorbing shock forces in any direction.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improvedoverhead door control arm which is easily installed and removed at thesite where it is to be used.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a novelconcealed overhead door control arm assembly which is adapted forfactory or on the job installation of one portion thereof on an overheadjamb mounted door closer and a second portion on the door, and which isadapted for snap-action connection of the two portions for rapid iittingof the door in proper position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of improvedmeans for clamping a swinging door in adjusted position.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in the above ofan improved door position adjusting means.

Another object of the present invention is the provision in an overheaddoor control arm of an improved means for making connection between thedoor jamb supported means and the door.

lOther objects and the various features of the invention will beapparent upon a perusal of the following description taken inconjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan View of the improved door arm assembly;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation View of the improved door arm assembly shownmounted within the door rail;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional plan view along line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a sectional elevation view along line 4-4 of FIG. l showingthe improved adjustment and clamping assembly;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation View along line 5-5 of FG. 1 showing aportion of the improved door arm andspring anchor assembly;

FIG. 6 is a perspective View of a portion of the clamping assembly;

FIGS. 7 and 8 are sectional views taken along lines l Patented May 14,1963 ICC 2 7-7 and 8-8 of FIG. 6 in the directions indicated by thearrows;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the top plate portion of the resilientclam-ping assembly;

F-IG. l() is a sectional view of the top plate which is taken along line10i-lil of FIG. 9;

FIG. l1 is a perspective view of the spring anchor mounting plate; and

FIG. l2 is a sectional elevation view of the spring anchor mountingplate taken along line 12-12 of FIG. 11.

The improved overhead control and mounting arm assembly is adapted forlocation in the hollow top rail 20 of a door 2l. Although it may be usedwith various types of door checks, the specifically illustratedembodiment is intended for use with a door check 22 of the type which isconcealed within the overhead door jamb 23, and which has a dependingvertical spindle 24. The arm is attached to this spindle and to the doorso that the rotatable spindle serves as the door top pivot.

The assembly includes an arm proper 25 which is adapted to be secured tothe spindle, and a door mounted assembly 26 which is received within andsecured -to the overhead door rail by means of screws 27. As will bedescribed in more detail later, the arm proper and the door mountedassembly are latched together under spring loaded compressive forceswhen the door is put into place.

The door assembly includes an elongated arm 23 and cap 29 which aresecured together by means of machine screws 30. The juxtaposed surfacesof the arm :and cap each include triangular notches 26 which are adaptedto clampingly receive the squared end of the spindle. The arm and armcap are preferably formed by forging. The arm is formed to provide anelongated channel 31 on the under side thereof (FIG. 5) enclosed oneither side by a pair of walls 32 and 33 which taper gradually from leftto right (FIG. 2). As seen in FIG. l, the arm in plan narrows slightlyfrom left to right. The recess terminates at its left hand end near thespindle 24 in a narrowed down generally U-shaped socket portion 34. Theopposite end of the channel terminates in a smooth generally horizontalbearing surface 36. The arm is somewhat thicker at the bearing surface36 and a threaded aperture 3S is provided therethrough for a purposewhich will be described later. The free end of the arm is `relieved ontop as at 40.

A cylindrical `bushing 42 having a hexagonal head is received through anaperture 44 in the relieved arm end section 40 and is freely rotatabletherein. A machine screw i6 passes thro-ugh the bushing 42 in aneccentric position at 48 and is threaded into an expander clampingassembly 50 therebeneath.

The clamping assembly 50 comprises upper and lower die cast plates 52.and 54 having a soft rubber expander S6 received therebetween. As bestseen in IFIGS. 6, 7, and 8, the expander comprises a generallyrectangular hollow section 58 and an end tab 6U. Ihe tab 60 includes aconcave recess 62 on either side thereof to facilitate manual gripping.The rectangular section 58 comprises a pair of ends 64 and 66 havingllanges 63 projecting inwardly from the top and bottom thereof andopposed sides 70 and '72 which have tapered top and bottom surfaces. Asbest seen in FIG. 4, the tapered surfaces are trapped between taperedsides 74 `and '76 on the upper Iand lower plates respectively.

The upper plate 52 (FIGS. 9 and `10) is rectangular and includes agenerally hublike central boss 78 with a central aperture Sli. Theportion surrounding the hub section 78 is recessed and supporting ribs82 project radially from the hub portion. The peripheral edge 84 issubstantially flush with the hub section 78. At both ends of the topplate 52 are a pair of elongated flanges 86 and d8 located at the bottomthereof which iit between the franges 68 on the expander to retain theupper plate in the expander. As previously indicated, the sides of thetop plate are tapered as at 74.

The lower plate 54 is a generally flat rectangular element with acentral hub portion 9G projecting upwardly into the aperture 8G in thetop plate. The hub portion 9G includes a threaded bore `92 for receivingthe screw 46. The lower plate also includes outwardly extending flangeshaving `tapered upper side edges 76 which bear against the lower taperedsurfaces of the rubber expander 58 and flanges 94' and 96 at the endswhich it inside the rubber flanges 68.

The components of the expander assembly can be handled las a unit, sincethe top and bottom plates are embraced at their ends by the rubberflanges 68.

Reference to FIGS. l, 2, ll, and l2 may be had for explanation of thedoor mounted latching assembly 26. This assembly comprises a springanchor mounting plate 199 which `is substantially rectangular in crosssection and is preferably drop forged. The plate 19t] is secured to thesurface at the bottom of the cavity in lthe door rail 20 by means ofthree screws 2'7 received through apertures 162 in the plate. The plateincludes downwardly extending boss portions 104 at these apertures sothat the plate can conform to any irregularity in the door surfaceWithout twisting.

A pair of spaced bosses 106 and liiS project upwardly from the plate andthese bosses are drilled to provide axially aligned apertures 11) and112 through which a sliding bolt 114 is reciprocably received. A coilcompression spring 116 is received around the bolt 114 between thebosses 6 and 1028 and bears against the boss 108 and a washer 120 whichengages a cross pin 11S passed through the bolt. In the relaxedposition, the spring urges the pin 114 into engagement with the bossi106. A rectangular opening 119 in the central portion of the platebetween the bosses provides clearance for the spring and washer 120 Theends of a pair of tapering ridges 122 and 124 (FlG. l) on the uppersurface of the mounting plate provide shoulders 126 and 128 `for a leafspring 136. The spring y130 is a generally rectangular, slightly taperedstrip of spring steel material. The left hand end (FIG. 3) of the spring130 is secured to the upper surface of the mounting plate by means of apair of rivets 132, and its free end is bent upwardly for engagementWith the bear ing surface 36 of the arm 2S when the device is assembled.The free end 134 of the spring 136 is arcuately shaped and slightlytapered back-wardly at the bottom for mating pivotal sliding engagementwith a corresponding `arcuate tapered shoulder 136 formed near the endof the arm 28. The axis for the arcuate spring end 134 and the arcuateshoulder 136 is at i138. The socket 34 and rounded end 149 of the springloaded bolt 114 permit pivotal movement of the mounting plate 100 andleaf spring 130 with respect to the arm 28 about the center at 138.This, as will appear, permits angular adjustment of the door withrespect to the arm 28.

The assembly of the door 21 to the door jamb 23 proceeds as follows.Assume that the door `frame isreceived as a completely assembled unitwith the door check 22 mounted in place Within the overhead jamb 23 atthe factory. The door frame is installed in a well known manner with thespindle 24 projecting downwardly from the overhead jarnb. The arm 28 andthe arm cap 22 in a typicalinstallation may be connected to the spindleIat the factory and therefore no assembly on the site is required.

The door mounted assembly `26 is .also of the type which may bepreinstalled in the door at the factory by securing the spring anchorplate 10)l of the door mounted assembly to the surface within theoverhead door rail by means of the three screws 27. The spring 130 ofthe door mounted -assembly will have been secured to the spring mountingplate prior to its assembly to the door, and the sliding bolt 114 willhave been received within the bosses 142:5 and 108 and retained in placeby means of the pin 118, washer 12d, and the spring 116. The expanderassembly Sil, including the eccentric 42 and screw 46, will be supplied`separately or will be removed by taking out the screw d6 prior tofitting the door.

After the door frame has been set in place, the arm 28 is moved to dooropen position in a conventional manner depending upon the type of doorcheck being used. With the arm 28 projecting outwardly from the frame,the door is brought into an assembly position with its overhead railsubstantially `in alignment with the arm. The hinged edge of the door isguided over the arm and the door is pushed inwardly until the lbolt end140 is guided into the socket 34 of the door arm channel. When the boltend bottoms in the socket, the door is urged further inwardly toward thespindle, forcing 4the bolt rearwardly against the pressure of the spring116 until the leaf spring 13d snaps into place fwith its free endagainst the shoulder 136 and the :bearing surface 36. The resilientyforce of the springs l116 and '130 will hold the assembly in place.

At some Itime during or prior to this operation, the door bottom pivotis connected. The sequence will depend upon the nature of the bottompivot, and since the bottom pivot `forms no part of the presentinvention, this sequence cannot of course be given.

Next, the expander assembly is held by the tab 60 and slid into place,the eccentric 42 and screw 46 are fitted and the screw partiallytightened. The door is then swung to closed position. lf the door is notproperly aligned with the frame in this position, the `door will beopened and the eccentric 42 turned to shift the position of the end of`the arm 2S relative to the 4faces of the door to correct themisalignment, the bolt 114 pivoting in the socket 34 about the axis 138,and the arcuate end 134 of the leaf spring 130 sliding along theshoulder 136. The door is again closed to check the door alignment. Thisprocedure is repeated as necessary to achieve satisfactory alignment.

When the door is properly positioned, the screw 46 is tightened,bringing the bottom plate 54 toward the top plate 52. This compressesthe resilient element 56 vertically and causes its transverse expansioninto tight compressive engagement with the door channel side rails.Tightening the screw also lfixes the position of the eccentric Ybushing42 `relative to the other elements.

The resilient connection between the expander 56 and the door railabsorbs shock forces 'transverse to the plane of the door, thespring-loaded resilient connection between the door arm 28 and thespring loaded bolt 114 and the resilient expander absorb horizontalshock forces, and the resilient connection between the bearing surface36 of the door arm and the spring I absorbs vertical shock forces. Thelife of the door arm and door control mechanism is thus appreciablylengthened, maintenance is minimized and operation is substantiallysilent, particularly since there is resilience but no lost motion in theassembly.

To remove the door from the frame, the door is opened; the screw 46 isremoved from the expander assembly 50; and the bushing 42 and expanderassembly are taken out. The screw is threaded into the aperture 35S-which has the same screw thread-in the door arm and turned downwardlyuntil it pushes the end of the spring 1'30 from the shoulder 136. Thescrew is then removed and the top of the door is free to be pulledoutwardly. Thus a rapid assembly and removal of the door is provided.

While I have shown and described a particular embodiment of myinvention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerousmodifications and variations may be made without departing from theunderlying principles of the invention. I therefore desire, by

the following claims, to include Within the scope of the invention allsuch modications and variations by which substantially the resultsthereof may be obtained by substantially the same or equivalent means.

I claim:

l. An overhead pivotal door control arm mechanism comprising, ahorizontal arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle and havinga short vertical dimension for concealed positioning in the top rail ofa door, a member adapted to be secured within the door top rail and heldbetween linearly spaced surfaces on the arm under resilient compressiveforces for arcuate adjustment of the door into a selected positionrelative to the arm, one of said spaced surfaces being positioned nearthe spindle connection and the other of said surfaces being remotetherefrom in a direction toward the free edge of the door, and meanscarried by the arm for holding the door in the selected position.

2. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a rigid armadapted for connection to an overhead spindle, a member adapted to besecured within the top rail of a door and held for pivotal movementbetween linearly spaced surfaces on the arm under resilient compressiveforces for angular adjustment of the door into a selected positionrelative to the arm, one of said spaced surfaces being positioned nearthe spindle connection and the other of said surfaces being remotetherefrom in a direction toward the free edge of the door, and meanscarried by the arm for holding the door in the selected position.

3. An overhead pivotal door control arm mechanism comprising, a firstelongated member adapted for oonnection to an overhead spindle, a secondelongated member adapted to be secured within the top rail of a door andheld between linearly spaced surfaces on the arm under resilientcompressive forces for pivotal adjustment of the door into a selectedposition relative to the arm, one of said spaced surfaces beingpositioned near the spindle connection and the other of said surfacesbeing remote therefrom in a direction toward the free edge of the door,and means carried by one of the members for locking the door in theselected position relative to the arm.

4. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a horizontallyelongated rigid larm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, amember adapted to be secured within the top rail of a door, a pivotelement carried by the member, a pivot mechanism carried by the arm at aposition adjacent the spindle connection, said pivot element and saidpivot mechanism adapted to interengage to provide a pivoting axis forsaid member relative to said arm at a position adjacent the spindleconnection, said arm and said member providing interengaging arcuatesurfaces at a position remote from said pivot element and said pivotmechanism in a direction toward the free edge of the door to provide forangular adjustment of the door into a selected position relative to thearm, and means carried by the arm for holding the door in the selectedposition.

5. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a pair ofhorizontally elongated members, one of the members being adapted forconnection to an overhead spindle, the other member adapted to besecured within the top rail of a door, means pivotally mounting one ofthe members between longitudinally spaced surfaces on the other memberunder resilient longitudinally directed compressive forces for angularadjustment of the door into a selected position relative to the spindle,and means carried by one of the members for holding the door in theselected position.

6. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, a rigid armadapted for connection to an overhead spindle, and anchor member adaptedto be secured within the top rail of a door, an elongated flat springcarried by the anchor member and projecting from one end thereof,

a spring-biased pivot member carried by the anchor member and projectingfrom the opposite end of the anchor member, the arm having a socketelement receiving the pivot member for pivotal movement of the anchormember relative to the arm about a vertical axis at substantially theposition of the socket element, said arm having an arcuate shoulderconcentric with the pivotal axis receiving the free end of the spring,the distance between the pivotal axis and the shoulder being less thanthe distance between the pivot member and the free end of the spring intheir relaxed positions for compressive engagement of the pivot memberand spring with the arm, the spring and arm engaging each other at anangle for cornpressive loading of the spring, the free end of the springbeing arcuate for movement relative to the shoulder to lpermit limitedangular positioning of the door relative to the rigid arm, and afastening assembly having resilient means expandable into tightengagement with the door top rail and carried by the arm for limitedtransverse movement to lock the door in its selected position relativeto the arm.

7. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising, an elongated armadapted for connection to an overhead spindle, an anchor member adaptedto be secured to the top rail of a door, an elongated flat springcarried by the anchor member and projecting from one end thereof, aspring-biased pivot member carried by the anchor member and projectingfrom the opposite end of the anchor member, the arm having a recessreceiving the pivot member for pivotal movement of the anchor memberrelative to the arm about a vertical axis at substantially the positionof the recess, said arm having an arcuate shoulder concentric with thepivotal axis receiving the free end of the spring, the distance betweenthe pivotal axis and the shoulder being less than the distance betweenthe pivot member and spring in their relaxed positions for compressiveengagement of the pivot member and spring with the arm, the spring andarm engaging each other at an angle for compressive loading of thespring, the free end of the spring being arcuate for movement relativeto the shoulder to permit limited angular positioning of the doorrelative to the spindle, and means for locking the door in its selectedposition relative to the spindle.

8. An overhead door control arm mechanism comprising a horizontallyelongated rigid arm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle andhaving a short vertical dimension for concealed positioning in the toprail of a door, an anchor member adapted to be secured within the toprail, an elongated flat spring secured at one end to the anchor memberand projecting upwardly at a shallow angle from one end thereof, a pivotmember reciprocably carried by the anchor member and projecting from theother end thereof, the arm having a socket receiving the pivot memberfor pivotal movement of the anchor member relative to the arm about avertical axis at substantially the position of the socket element, saidarm having an arcuate shoulder concentric with the pivotal axisreceiving the free end of the spring, a bias spring urging the pivotmember toward the socket for compressive latching engagement of thepivot member and flat spring with the arm, the ilat spring engaging thearm at an angle for vertical compressive loading of the flat spring, thefree end of the spring being arcuate for movement relative to theshoulder to permit limited angular positioning of the door relative tothe spindle, and means for locking the door in its selected positionrelative to the spindle.

9. The mechanism of claim 8 in which the locking means comprises a pairof vertically spaced plates, a bushing rotatably carried by the arm on avertical axis, a screw eccentrically carried by the bushing and securingthe plates to the bottom of the arm, and a resilient member positionedbetween the plates and expandable outwardly for clamping engagement withthe door rail upon movement of the plates toward each other by thescrew, the bushing being rotatable on the arm to adjust the platesspaanse and resil-ient member transversely for movement of the door railrelatively to the arm.

10. An overhead door control mechanism comprising, an elongated rigidarm adapted for connection to an overhead spindle, an anchor memberadapted to be secured to the top rail of a door, an elongated flatspring carried by the anchor member and projecting from one end thereof,a spring-biased pivot member carried by the anchor member and projectingfrom the opposite end of the anchor member, the arm having an elementreceiving the pivot member for pivotal movement of the anchor memberrelative to the arm about a vertical axis at substantially the positionof the element, said arm having an arcuate shoulder concentric with thepivotal axis receiving the free end of the spring, the distance betweenthe pivotal axis and the shoulder being less than the distance betweentne free end of the spring and the pivot member in their relaxedpositions for compressive engagement of the pivot member and spring withthe arm, the free end of the spring being arcuate for sliding movementrelative to the shoulder to permit limited angular positioning of thedoor relative 'to the spindle, an assembly having resilient meansreceived within and expandable into tight engagement with the door toprail, and an eccentric .bushing and expanding means carried by the armfor 4supporting the assembly in alignment with the top rail in allReferences Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,895,895 Norton Jan. 3l, 1933

3. AN OVERHEAD PIVOTAL DOOR CONTROL ARM MECHANISM COMPRISING, A FIRSTELONGATED MEMBER ADAPTED FOR CONNECTION TO AN OVERHEAD SPINDLE, A SECONDELONGATED MEMBER ADAPTED TO BE SECURED WITHIN THE TOP RAIL OF A DOOR ANDHELD BETWEEN LINEARLY SPACED SURFACES ON THE ARM UNDER RESILIENTCOMPRESSIVE FORCES FOR PIVOTAL ADJUSTMENT OF THE DOOR INTO A SELECTEDPOSITION RELATIVE TO THE ARM, ONE OF SAID SPACED SURFACES BEINGPOSITIONED NEAR THE SPINDLE CONNECTION AND THE OTHER OF SAID SURFACESBEING REMOTE THEREFROM IN A DIRECTION TOWARD THE FREE EDGE OF THE DOOR,AND MEANS CARRIED BY ONE OF THE MEMBERS FOR LOCKING THE DOOR IN THESELECTED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE ARM.